Hmm, I don’t know why I didn’t think of MDF. How capable is MDF of holding heavy loads, as compared with ply? Also, if I were making some frame and panel doors to paint, would it make sense to make the whole thing out of MDF? Or would it be better to build the frame from poplar and the panel from MDF?

Then I would definitely use ply and pine/popular. You probably won’t use MDF for the inside the house cabinets. Some will argue that point, but I like ply better. You can practice frame and panel with the pine better than MDF.

If you are near a local lumberyard—- you may be able to get some cutoff of oak, walnut or cherry. We have a local place here in Ft. Worth than you can buy the edge cutoffs for 25-50 cents a lineal foot. I’ve made tons of stuff with that material. If you can do that you can practice with some goo hardwods and not be out much money.

soft maple is a bit harder and will take paint really well and is easy to machine. It is more durable than softer woods. I generally use silver maple because it is easy to come by in my location.I use poplar as a secondary wood for cabinets in many cases. I prefer a harder wood for the face frames and doors and drawers.

A closed grain wood such as birch, beech, soft maple all have medium to hard density to take everyday abuse and take paint well unlike flakey grained species such as pine, oak, ash, etc. As for poplar it is not really all that dense and its wild color schemes may make it difficult to paint.

I did new molding in my entire house. Older home, painted moldings. Poplar, pine lets the knots bleed through. I just don’t use MDF, so I really don’t have an opinion on it. But for painted wood, poplar is best. I also do decorative painting and I use poplar for that also. I have lots of trouble with trying to get a good paint finish on pine.

I’ve had good luck with both MDF and birch plywood. I made some high-end library shelves from MDF, at the client’s insistence, and I was pleased with the outcome.

You might also consider MDO (Medium Density Overlay) which is either MDF or plywood with a very smooth fibrous (paper?) layer on the outside. I haven’t used it yet, but it gets a lot of recommendations. It’s supposed to the the ultimate paintable sheet product.

Check out my kitchen cabinets in my projects. the cabinets are birch, the raised panel doors are mdf. i built 26 doors for just over $100. it cuts very good and takes paint exceptionally well. I didn’t have to fill any holes with woodfiller, it just like working with wood. You can get your joints as tight or as loose as you want them or are capable of. They are mounted to the cabinets with blum concealed hinges. You do need to predrill all the holes but once drilled they are there. i buillt them 2 years ago and have had more trouble with the hinges staying in the plywood than the MDF. not one screw has stripped out of the MDF.